Cullerton’s election-year focus on education funding comes as Rauner has been taking credit for the recent increase in state spending on K-12 schools after Rauner signed an education portion of the Democrats’ spending plan while vetoing the rest of the budget.

“I fought hard and we won an increase in state support for all schools,” Rauner said.

Cullerton on Monday noted that it was Democrats who passed that bill — not a single Republican voted for it.

Cullerton is right. And not mentioned is that Rauner pushed House and Senate Republicans to vote against the bill he eventually signed into law.

So, I’m not sure who Rauner “fought,” except for members of his own party, many of whom wanted to vote for the K-12 approp bill.

This, for me, sort of underscores how out of his league Rauner is as Governor. The K-12 bill was a comedy of errors. He worked against, pushed all of the GOP members off it, and then signed it solely because a veto would have disrupted the start of the school year thus creating a crisis. Now he touts it as his signature achievement. I think that’s called “chutzpah.”

This really symbolizes his first year quite well. Cynicism, failure to understand the process, bad advice, political miscalculation, alternate reality.

I sure hope they’re learning over there. We can’t afford the on-the-job training much longer.

>So, I’m not sure who Rauner “fought,” except for members of his own party, many of whom wanted to vote for the K-12 approp bill.

If he’d wanted a budget, that would have been the bill to veto. Instead he chose to decimate the human service system, even going to far as to blame the consent decrees for this year’s budget problems. In business, you don’t spend money you don’t have, even for a good thing like education.

Not to mention the fact that the Governor has been trumpeting the increase in education funding partially as a response to what is going on with CPS, even though despite the increase, state funding for CPS is declining by $60 mil.

Expose the lie –”We fought hard and we won”
Wrapped in hypocrisy — “I support education, see?” What a joke!
Inside a half-truth — “I increased funding for K-12.” Funding may be up, so that part is true.

I think it is accurate of the Trib to say that the Governor has been taking credit for increased education funding. Where the Trib is disingenuous is where they imply that the Governor deserves credit for increased education spending.

Regardless of the truth, Rauner needs some big achievement he can tout to the public tomorrow.

Increased school spending is something the public understands. It’s a lot easier to sell than ” my blue ribbon commission is redefining the meaning of criminal so we’ll save money by locking up less criminals”.

And the real irony is that criminal reform, done correctly, would most likely save money now and in the future plus, if enough reduction is achieved, he could close prisons, reducing the union work force. Sometimes I think this Governor can’t see the forest for the trees.

Dear Rich, Your continually referencing facts when discussing the Governor’s statements clearly illustrates that you are in the pocket of the Speaker. Sorry but the Governor is forced to revoke his kind invitation for a beer after the Sots. Maybe you can reschedule when you drop the whole, using facts thing. tks! -ck-

You’re as cold as ice
You’re willing to sacrifice our best
You never take advice
You can afford any price, we know

We’ve seen this before - you’re a Frankenstein
You’re taking us hostage - you’re out of your mind
You’re addicted to power - and demanding your way
If anyone questions you - you make them pay and pay

You’re as cold as ice
You’re willing to sacrifice our kids
You want fame and praise
But our poor hasn’t eaten for days, we know

We’ve seen this before - with Blagojevich
A governor who likes to throw people into a ditch
You’re locking us up - for 1.4 percent
Yet you can’t even make a cogent argument!

You don’t care who you slice
In your fool’s paradise - we know
You want to turn us around
But don’t care what you burn down, we know

What will you say at the State of the State?
When after a year, we see nothing but hate?
How will you brag about your accomplishment?
Without the bipartisanship you always prevent?

Cold as ice, you know that you are
Cold, cold, as, as, ice, as cold as ice to me
Cold, cold, as, as, ice Cold as, cold as I, I, ice, (you’re as cold as ice) yes (Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know (Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, yes I know (Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, you’re as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know
(Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, oh yes I know
(Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, you’re as cold as ice, cold as ice, I know(Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, oh yes I know(Cold as ice) You’re as cold as ice, you’re as cold as ice, you’re as cold as ice, I know

Am I the only Neanderthal in the world(state) opposed to more state spending on education? I am pretty confident that my property taxes are still going to be raised the max in every school district I have taxable property in! Thinking the unthinkable, maybe it’s time the Land of Lincoln stopped sports in K-12(I almost didn’t have the nerve to post that)!

===Tough spot for House and Senate Republicans: They can’t trust the governor — and they can’t afford not to.===

Trust doesn’t come into this. He owns all of them; he says he owns the Republican Party in this state. He’s made a promise, backed up with $20 million, on what will happen to any GOP legislator who doesn’t vote as he wishes. I think they’re worse off than before he became governor. They’re little more than puppets, and Rauner holds all the strings.

And one reason your property taxes may be raised to the max is BECAUSE of Rauner’s TA. School districts, and other LOCAL taxing bodies are scared to death of what his property tax freeze plan(s) may result in for the local control he wants to turn over to them.